The Big Outdoor Notice Board at Saint Bronach’s
However, it was then rebuilt using marine ply wood to display our sign ‘Celebrating 200 years of Kilbroney Parish Church’. In 2023 the board was temporarily changed for a short time with a new banner to advertise a Church tower bell ringing event. The Cunningham Cup Competition in its home tower of the cup, which was gifted to the Northern District in 1950, by a Kilbroney lifetime parishioner, James Cunningham 1858-1950, Rostrevor.
After our 200 celebrations were finished, we felt the large notice board was a great attraction and a super addition to sharing our information work in creating the summer of 2024.
By March 2025, the wood corners were crumbling, there was splintering and it was badly weather beaten. A new board was constructed, but this time using planks of Rostrevor Men’s Shed. Again, we really do appreciate the Shedders help, time and
Our chief designer is Lilly Toase, who is an intermedia designer based in Leipzig, Germany. (Granddaughter of Joan Toase). She specialises in branding, editorial design and social media strategy & content production. the years Lilly has made an enormous contribution in her own way to Kilbroney Parish Church. From guiding us in the rebranding KPC logo, designing our celebrating 200 years trademark, leaflets, invitations, photography, recent tower bell logo, and to our big outdoor banners including the 'Cunningham Cup', ‘Welcome' and the very recently ‘Hello’.
Thank you Lilly. Your work, time and effort is very much appreciated by us all in KPC. Shelagh Roberts
Acts of the Apostles 1:3-11
After his suffering he [Jesus] presented himself alive to them [the disciples and others] by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
Ascension Intercessions
Jesus, our exalted Lord, has been given all authority. Let us seek his intercession that our prayers may be perfected by his prayer.
Jesus Christ, great high priest, living for ever to intercede for us, pray for the Church, your broken body in the world
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, King of righteousness, enthroned at the right hand of the majesty on high, pray for the world, and make it subject to your gentle rule
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Son of Man, drawing humanity into the life of God, pray for your sisters and brothers in need, distress, or sorrow …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus, pioneer of our salvation, bringing us to glory through your death and resurrection, surround with your saints and angels those who have died trusting your promises
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, Lord over all things, ascended far above the heavens and filling the universe, pray for us who receive the gifts you give us for work in your service …
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.
Jesus Christ, keep the Church in the unity of the Spirit and in the bond of peace, and bring the whole created order to worship at your feet; for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Ascension Window in Warrenpoint Parish Church
Dear Lord and Father of mankind
When I was a boy and singing in the choir at Killowen Parish Church of Ireland, Coleraine, one of my favourite hymns was "Dear Lord and Father of mankind". I remember noticing that the tune was called "Repton" in the hymn-book, though I had no idea why. Thirty years later a new job put me on the pathway to the answer.
I was nearing forty by then, and had just begun working at Repton School in Derbyshire. I joined the chapel choir there, and rapidly discovered that "Dear Lord and Father" was something of an institution at the school, and sung regularly at services. It always drew a heartfelt response from the pupils (who were not invariably enthusiastic in their hymn-singing). I was curious to find out why. How were "Dear Lord and Father" and Repton School connected?
The story begins in 1888, when "Judith", an oratorio by the English composer Hubert Parry, was premiered at the Birmingham Triennial Music Festival. Parry is famous nowadays for his patriotic hymn "Jerusalem", and the resplendent coronation anthem "I was glad". But tucked away in Act One of "Judith" is an unassuming aria for mezzo-soprano, "Long since in Egypt’s plenteous land", which four decades later would achieve an enduring afterlife, long after the oratorio itself had faded to obscurity.
The aria, sung by the Old Testament character Meshullemeth to her children, relates how God delivered the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt. Its serenely contemplative melody occurred to George Gilbert Stocks (a pupil of Parry's at Oxford University) when, in 1924, he was compiling a new hymn-book for use at Repton School. Stocks was head of music at Repton, and the idea of using the "Judith" tune for a hymn may have dated from a visit Parry made to Stocks in Repton a few years previously.
The words Stocks chose to match the aria's melody were written in 1872 by the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier. They're from a poem entitled
Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways; re-clothe us in our rightful mind, in purer lives thy service find, in deeper reverence, praise.
In simple trust like theirs who heard, beside the Syrian sea, the gracious calling of the Lord, let us, like them, without a word rise up and follow thee.
O Sabbath rest by Galilee, O calm of hills above, where Jesus knelt to share with thee the silence of eternity, interpreted by love!
Drop thy still dews of quietness, till all our strivings cease; take from our souls the strain and stress, and let our ordered lives confess the beauty of thy peace.
Breathe through the heats of our desire thy coolness and thy balm; let sense be dumb, let flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, O still small voice of calm.
John G. Whittier (1807-92)
"The Brewing Of Soma", whose first eleven verses, in the words of Repton School historian John Plowright, "speak of the perverse forms by which men seek to know God, through drug-induced ecstasies (Soma being a Hindu hallucinogen), flagellation, the whirling of Dervishes, etc.".
Whittier, a Quaker, abhorred such practices, and the last six stanzas of his poem are in effect a prayer exhorting a simpler, less ostentatious style of worship. They begin like a prayer ("Dear Lord and Father"), and the "foolish ways" mentioned in line two are the "perverse forms" of religious activity Whittier enumerates in the "The Brewing Of Soma".
John Greenleaf Whittier
Hubert Parry
Repton School Chapel
Five of the poem's six concluding stanzas appear in most hymn-book printings of "Dear Lord and Father", where Whittier's words and Parry's music meld exquisitely together. Alternative tunes for the hymn exist, including one popular in America. But there's no question that Parry's timelessly beautiful melody holds pride of place among Anglican congregations in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
The hymn endures for other reasons too. Its plea for "still dews of quietness" to calm the "strain and stress" of living strikes a ready chord in the frantically hyperactive world of today. Issues of "mindfulness" are touched on too ("Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire"), and the natural phenomena of "earthquake, wind, and fire" referenced at the hymn's conclusion pose, through the predations of climate change, a much greater danger than they did previously. The "still, small voice of calm" that Whittier prays for in the last line of his poem is a precious, God-given commodity. Unquestionably, we need it now more than ever.
Terry Blain
It is hard to believe we are coming to the end of another term. We didn’t meet in April because it fell in Easter week and a time when family meet up, so the chances of a low attendance would have been high.
The next Meeting is on Thursday 29th May at 5.00 pm in The Whistledown, for a meal. This will round off our meetings until the Autumn. Please return your choice of meal together with payment of £20 by Sunday 25th May, to either Dorothy (Warrenpoint) or Lorraine (Kilbroney). Looking forward to a nice time out together.
Love, God Bless and take care.
Dorothy Major
Kevin walked into a doctor's office and the receptionist asked him what he had. Kevin said: "Shingles." So she wrote down his name and address and told him to have a seat.
Fifteen minutes later a nurse came out and asked Kevin what he had. Kevin said, "Shingles." So she wrote down his height, weight, medical history and told Kevin to wait in the examining room.
A half hour later another nurse came in and asked him what he had. Kevin said, "Shingles." So the nurse gave Kevin a blood test, took his blood pressure test, and told him to take off all his clothes and wait for the doctor.
An hour later the doctor came in and found Kevin sitting patiently in the nude and asked Kevin what he had.
Kevin said, "Shingles."
The doctor asked, "Where?"
Kevin said, "Outside on the truck. Where do you want me to unload 'em?"
Little Johnny's teacher asked the students what they want to be in the future. Mary says she wants to be a doctor. Karen says she wants to be a police officer and Susie says she wants to be a rich and famous actress and model. When the teacher asked Johnny what he wanted to do, he said, "I want to marry Susie."
What is the difference between a cat and a comma? One has claws at the end of his paws. The other has a pause at the end of a clause!
When planets move in circles, we say they are orbiting. When people do it, we say they are crazy.
Repton School Chapel Interior
In Warrenpoint and Kilbroney Easter decorations just “appeared”! Thank you to all who were involved in this aspect of our Easter celebrations. So much goes on behind the scenes that we can forget the folk who clean, decorate, serve refreshments, polish the brass, tidy up after services, iron the linen, arrange flowers, and get the Holy Table prepared for Holy Communion; not forgetting those who sing in the choirs, the organist and other musicians, and, last but not least, the rector!
A big thank you to Evelyn’s sister Florence, for the lovely table. This will be so useful and will enhance any decorations for display in the future.
The Wisdom of Afternoon Tea
My wife and I were at one time missionaries with the Overseas Missionary Fellowship. We joined them in 1975 after a period of training at their headquarters in London. While we were there, we met the hostess of the Mission Home, a matronly lady who had herself served overseas. She was a formidable person, but with a soft heart, and a depth of spiritual wisdom.
I remember her offering to our group of would-be missionaries this piece of sage advice:
“The missionaries who stay the longest on the field are those who have their afternoon tea.”
It struck me then as being very profound, and it is a life rule that I have followed ever since, with great benefits.
This practice of course is typically British, but valuable none the less. For us, a cup of tea is the answer to everything. “Let’s make a cup of tea,” we say in any crisis. It soothes and refreshes and helps us get things in perspective. Somehow things seem much brighter when you have had a cuppa, especially if shared with friends or colleagues.
But there is more to the custom of afternoon tea. This little ritual gives us permission to stop in the midst of a busy day and rest a while. It enables us to make contact with others, and to step back from whatever is filling our mind at the time. And over time, these little oases are the way we care for our souls as well as our bodies.
We read that Jesus, when he was tired, sat down by the well at Sychar (John 4:6). He gave himself permission to stop and have a break. I like to think on that basis he would heartily approve of afternoon tea.
Rev Tony Horsfall
It was a serendipitous day when Alan Davis of Rostrevor Men’s Shed (RMS) remarked to Connor Sweeney at an RMS meeting that he had always been interested in learning to ring a tower bell. Connor is well known to Saint Bronach’s Kilbroney Parish Church having frequently helped us in the past on many occasions. Connor said he knew the very person, and he brought Alan up to meet us and the rest is history. Paddy Jameson trained Alan to ring and he was an adept student who rapidly became a competent ringer. Alan developed further into an accomplished ringer under Paddy’s tutelage and is now a hugely enthusiastic and vital ringer in our team. Alan’s infectious enthusiasm and desire to progress led him to suggesting we enter the Cunningham Cup competition for the best striking ringers in N. Ireland. I frankly didn’t think we were ready for such an event but Alan’s enthusiastic but determined approach finally won the day - so we entered!
The silver cup was gifted by James Cunningham from Rostrevor. He was a bell ringer in Saint Bronach’s tower, Kilbroney Parish Church, all his life and at one time was the oldest ringer in Ireland aged 90. The cup was presented to the ‘Irish Association of Change Ringers’ in April 1950 to be competed annually for ‘clean striking and good timing’ . His home team won the silver cup in 1954, 1956 and 1963.
The competition was held in Coleraine on Saturday 26th April. To give you some necessary context, none of our band had ever rung there before so the bells were an unknown quantity. In fact the bells were considerably heavier than our bells and the team had only one (5 min) chance to rehearse before they rang in the competition. In fairness the practice session was definitely not encouraging, however, the band were steady in their competition piece and really very competent. When the group exited the ringing chamber, I congratulated them on a what was a respectable performance.
I was delighted with the judging results as Saint Bronach’s bell tower were awarded 4th place out of 6, and were only 2 points behind the 3rd place band - also highly competent.
It was a brilliant sunny day and the team basked a while in the sunshine and reflected on what was a great result …. But making it more memorable, we were told that today was first time in 57 years that Saint Bronach’s. Kilbroney Parish Church had competed for the Cunningham Cup.
We intend to enter every year and will work hard towards improving our ringing and striking. I am so proud of our home trained team as should every parishioner be. We were also the ‘best dressed’ team with our new tower logo embroidered onto our polo shirts.
Dr Kennedy Roberts Tower Captain
The team members were; (Treble) Shelagh Roberts, 2 Alan Davis, 3 Edward Duggan, 4 Paddy Jameson, 5 Tim Alexander, (Tenor) Andrew White, a borrowed ringer!
Louise is our new trainee ringer and she is also Alan’s sister.
Edward, Ken, Tim, Louise, Alan, Paddy & Shelagh.
Tim, Edward & Paddy
Kenny & Alan
It’s the Hope that Saves You
"This article was first published in extended form in the Financial Times on 20th April this year. This excerpt is published by kind permission of the author, Jemima Kelly, and of the Financial Times.
“A continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking,” wrote the lay theologian and children’s author CS Lewis in 1952.
“Hope is one of the theological virtues . . . Aim at Heaven and you will get earth ‘thrown in’: aim at earth and you will get neither.” The idea that hope, far from being some kind of foolish or self-indulgent emotion, should be considered a virtue is one that has existed since the beginnings of Christianity.
It was Jesus’s apostle Paul who first wrote of hope as an enduring virtue in his letters to the Corinthians. The medieval theologian Saint Thomas Aquinas described it as “a future good, difficult but possible to attain by means of the divine assistance”.
Hope also represents the core message of Easter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ a triumph of life over death shows Christians that, even during the darkest times, light can suddenly appear, and that new beginnings and even miracles are possible. In Islam and Judaism it is taught as a virtue, too. And yet in our largely secular modern society, the hopeful person is rarely spoken of as the virtuous one. They are more likely to be called foolish being cynical and pessimistic tends to be regarded as a sign of intelligence and worldliness, while expressing any kind of positive vision for the future gets dismissed as naivety or, worse, complacency.
But there are reasons to be hopeful, and not just because it is possible that things some things, at least will turn out all right in the end. No, the very act of hoping is good for us on both a psychological and a physiological level: studies have repeatedly linked a greater sense of hope to a lower risk of cancer, chronic illness, and all-cause mortality. I use the word “act” deliberately here. Hope is often conflated with optimism, but there are some important distinctions between the two, as Edward Brooks, executive director of the Oxford Character Project, who is writing a book on the subject, tells me. “Optimism is an expectation of a positive future,” he says. “Hope is a habit of focusing action and attention on a future that is good and that is difficult but yet possible to attain.” In other words, optimism while it brings health and happiness benefits of its own, and tends to be more motivating than pessimism when used in messaging is a much more passive thing; some people seem to be born with it and others without. Hoping is a choice to
focus on the possibility, however faint, of some future good, and crucially involves individual and collective agency.
Hope carries with it the conviction that we can take action that makes our desired future more likely. Discussions about instilling hope can quickly become wishy-washy. But one only has to look across the Atlantic for concrete evidence that messages of hope can be hugely powerful politically. Back in 2008, Barack Obama who had two years earlier published a book under the title The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream was voted into the White House on the back of a hugely hopeful slogan: “Yes we can.”
The importance of politicians conveying hope is a universal phenomenon: a huge Gallup study this year found that of four core needs that people mention in relation to their leaders, hope was the most important well ahead of trust, compassion and stability. Another Gallup study found that 69 per cent of employees who strongly agreed their leaders made them “feel enthusiastic about the future” felt engaged at work, compared with just 1 per cent who disagreed.
There is of course a risk that by focusing so much on the positive, you are blind to the risks of things going badly. But hoping need not be complacent: we should consider it, as Aristotle did, the mean between the vices of presumption and despair. Hope is, as the American poet Emily Dickinson wrote so beautifully, “the thing with feathers, That perches in the soul”. We must nurture and protect this delicate thing. It’s the hope, after all, that saves you.
Jemima Kelly
Found and permission to adapt/reproduce obtained by Timothy Alexander
Another month and another Bible Study. Seven of us gathered around God's word. We visited the home of Mary, a common name in Scripture.
This Mary was the mother of John also called Mark. There were a couple of us who discovered from reading commentaries that Mark was a surname. So to make things less complicated we just gave him is full name John Mark. It was the same then as it is now. Names are confusing, working out who's who, trying to figure out family connections.
Let's just see what we can learn from Mary and Rhoda her maid.
Looks like Mary was widowed and probably quite well off as she had a maid called Rhoda. We are not given any details about Rhoda. She was probably a teenager. She was possibly far from her home. She was almost certainly glad to have a job, maybe she had to support the family at home.
At that time there was a lot of persecution. We read in Acts 12 that King Herod was harassing people for their faith and one such was Peter. The King had Peter thrown into prison chained between two soldiers while some 16 other soldiers stood guard (verse 4 tells us there were four squads of four soldiers). So there would be no means of escape. The King's plan was to kill Peter after Passover. But God had other plans.
Women like Mary played a powerful role in the life of the early Church. They opened their homes for little prayer meetings. Mary's home was one of those places. It was a safe place for people to gather together and pray. She might not be able to teach or preach but opening her home for prayer was something she could do.
That had to be the start of our present day Home Groups. We might not be able to pray aloud, teach or preach but it's not hard to open our home once in a while and invite two or three friends to come round and pray together and enjoy a cuppa.
Then there was Rhoda, the Maid, She lived at the house where she worked. It was probably night time when these early Christians met at Mary's house. Rhoda would have finished work for the day and she could have gone off to bed. Instead she joined the prayer meeting where they had come together to pray for Peter. She mightn't have prayed aloud but she was there and would have joined in saying "Amen".
Just like many of us when we pray, we don't expect
God to answer so quickly. Never underestimate the power of prayer. As they were praying there was a knock at the door, Rhoda went to answer the door. I'm sure her heart was thumping. It was a dangerous time soldiers could have burst in.
As we read in verse 14 it looks like she quietly asked "who is it". She couldn't believe it when the voice she heard was Peter's. They had been praying for him all evening and now here he was at the door. She was so excited that she ran back into the room leaving Peter standing outside the door and I could well imagine she was shouting and yelling that Peter was at the door. Nobody believed her and told her not to be so silly that it wasn't possible. God's resources know no bounds - nothing is impossible with God. Rhoda kept insisting that Peter was at the door. Peter kept on knocking. It would seem they all went to the door. Whether it was for safety in numbers, or to quieten Rhoda down or out of curiosity. When they saw him they were astonished. They didn't expect their prayers to be answered so quickly. You can imagine them all crowding round the door all talking at once … there must have been some babbling, because it says in verse 17 that Peter motioned his hand for them to be quiet. It doesn't look like he got into the house, He seemed to talk to them from the door. He told them how the Lord had brought him out of prison. How the chains fell off his wrists, how an angel led him out in the street and how he ended up at Mary's house.
I feel the words of a hymn coming on"My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose went forth and followed thee".
Peter instructed them to tell James and the brothers presumably the other Christians of what had happened. Then he left for another place.
While there was excitement at Mary's house, there was a commotion at the prison when it was discovered that Peter had disappeared and no-one could find him. No mercy was spared on the soldiers - the King had them executed.
So from Rhoda we see the importance of the prayer meeting. We don't need to be a certain age nor do we need to be eloquent in praying. We can just turn up, sit quietly and say a simple "Amen" at the end and have the faith that God will answer.
What about the door with Peter standing outside. Well, there is another door that we read of in Revelation 3 v 20. It is of Jesus standing at a door. It could be any door the door of your heart; the door of your home; or sad to say, the door of the Church and he is knocking.
"Behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone
hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him and he with me".
Don't leave him standing outside. Let him in. Some 50 plus years ago we sang this at our Youth Services -
Life is wonderful, yes it's wonderful, life is wonderful now to me.
I let Jesus in, he changed everything, Life is wonderful now.
Since his blessing came into my heart joy unspeakable fills every part. Now I want to live for my Lord, life is wonderful now
The next Bible Study will be on Tuesday 13th May at 10.45 am
All Ladies will be most welcome.
Love, God Bless and Stay safe
Dorothy Major xx
So Anna you became a teenager over the Easter holidays! Thank you for all you do around KPC and for being Junior Churchwarden.
Is it really a year?
David and Bethlehem
Well, that's about us finished up here in Kenya for this trip. We have more really great projects lined up for the next time.
The final act for our trip was when the Bishop visited Erankau last Sunday to dedicate the community tank.
Unfortunately we couldn't make it but we do have these couple of pictures to share. The community were so happy with the tank ... especially as it rained the night before and filled the tank to about 2 metres high which is a lot of clean and safe drinking water ready for use, that's a job well done.
We really appreciate all the support and comments you've made on this journey, stay with us for the next episode.God bless you all.
Ronnie and Maggie Briggs
Little Tony was so happy to see his grandmother that he ran up and gave her a big hug. "I'm so happy to see you, grandma. Now daddy will have to do that trick he's been promising to do!" His grandmother was curious. "What trick is that, sweetie?" The little guy smiled at her, "I heard daddy tell mammy that he would climb the walls if you came to visit us again!"
Oscar, who was baptised in KPC (Liz Cavan’s grandson) was visiting with his family and got drafted in to join the impromptu band at Morning Prayer!
The hymn was 364 based on Psalm 150 … “Praise him on the trumpet, the psaltery and harp. Praise him on the timbrel and the dance, praise him with stringed instruments too. Praise him on the loud cymbals, praise him on the loud cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. “
Words and music by John Kennett
The Rt Revd Gadiel Katanga Lenini
Ronnie & Maggie Briggs
Make way, make way, for Christ the King in splendour arrives. Fling wide the gates and welcome him into your lives.
There was a festive atmosphere in KPC on Palm Sunday as the young folk led the procession, all waving palms and palm crosses. Thank you to the Rostrevor Children’s Choir (junior section) whose enthusiasm was infectious and who, with the Kilbroney Handbellers, led us as we worshipped together.
The Nicene Creed is one of the most important documents in the world. It has shaped Christian belief for the past 1,700 years, affecting hundreds of millions of lives.
This year, 2025, is the 1,700 anniversary of the Nicene Creed. Athanasius is the theologian behind that creed, and his feast day falls on 2nd May
Athanasius (296-373) was born into a prosperous family in Alexandria in Egypt, and entered the ministry. At 29 years old he accompanied the bishop of Alexandria, (Alexander) to the Church’s first great ecumenical Council, at Nicaea in 325. There he saw the Council debate the Person of Christ. How was he the Son of God and also Man? Did he really exist before he was born? If we worship him, does that mean that we are worshipping two Gods?
When the heresy of Arius, which taught that Christ was not divine, and not eternal, later threatened the church, Athanasius worked with his bishop, Alexander, in framing what became known as the Nicene Creed
Our Lord’s full divinity was safeguarded in the words, ‘eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father.’
For the next 45 years Athanasius’ devotion, scholarship, and also his forceful leadership established the Nicene Creed in the Christian Church. His enemies, both in Church and state, conspired against him, and he was exiled five times from the See of Alexandria and spent a total of 17 years in flight and hiding. Athanasius’ name will always be linked with the triumph of New Testament Christology over every form of reductionism (lessening of the Person of Christ.)
Parish Pump
Here it is!
Open and ready for anyone to use. It contains a variety of books, about half for children, so feel free to come and take a look and borrow (or keep) what you like. The gates on Church Street are unlocked.
So … how did it get here?
Once the Select Vestry had given approval, Liz Farnan, activated the entire project. The mastermind behind the design and creation from granite and slate was Alan Davis. This included the construction of the stand and then organising the team to get it in place.
Who was on the team?
It seemed that all of the Rostrevor Men’s Shed were involved in supervising, advising, and in the actual construction and installation! Special thanks go especially to, Mark Gibbons, Paul Hogan, Gethin Hughes, Gerry McCormick, Bert Murphy, Martin Rea, Ken Roberts, and Conor Sweeney, You’ll see too that Billy Graham and Stewart Nash also had a hand in the production.
The Reverend Andy dedicated the Little Free Library after the morning service on the Fifth Sunday in Lent and spent time chatting with some of the Explorers when they had a look at the books.
Rostrevor Men’s Shed and the Little Free Library at Kibroney Parish Church
6th April 2025
Ascension
In Rembrandt’s painting Ascension Christ stands on a smoky cloud while practical cherubs flying, compete with wonder-struck disciplesa frightened crowd at the Saviour’s feet.
See how infant wings blithely assist Christ’s rise. Their fluttering divides the gloried air above from those below, whose fearful eyes and hands outstretched or clasped in prayer frame the incomparable scene.
See, the holy dove descends through star-edged skiesairy messenger of boundless love.
Will we, on our own Mount of Olives be the wings that lift the Lord?
Or will we, with earth-bound eye and anxious hand watch, tremble, and not understand?
Or in some fresh-painted vision, some mystical new-composed story, will you and I be the buoyant cloud? Lit from within and unafraid as he rises in unconfined, transcendent glory…
The Ascension of Christ
Rembrandt
1636 Oil on canvas, 93 x 69 cm Alte Pinakothek, Munich
The artwork titled “The Ascension Of Christ” is an exquisite oil painting created by Rembrandt in 1636. This work, measuring 68.3 x 92.7 cm, is a forceful embodiment of the Baroque period and exhibits elements of Tenebrism, a style known for its dramatic use of light and shadow. The genre of this piece is categorized as a religious painting, thus it holds significant spiritual relevance and is currently located within a private collection, not available for public viewing.
“The Ascension of Christ” portrays the pivotal New Testament event where Jesus ascends to heaven post-resurrection. At the centre of the composition, Jesus is depicted enveloped in an ethereal light, his arms outstretched, exuding a sense of tranquil authority and divine grace. The figure of Christ is positioned above a cluster of cherubim and seraphim, whose gentle and dynamic movement guides the viewer’s gaze upward, reinforcing the ascension narrative.
Below, the earthly realm is illustrated in stark contrast. The disciples and followers of Jesus are gathered around, depicted with a sense of wonderment and awe as they witness the miraculous event. Their gestures, ranging from outstretched arms to bowed heads, convey a profound emotional response. The use of chiaroscuro, a hallmark of Tenebrism, is evident, with the bottom of the composition shrouded in darkness, which serves to draw a distinct line between the divine radiance above and the mortal, dimly lit observers below.
Remarkably, Rembrandt’s masterful handling of light not only illustrates the physical ascent but also symbolizes the spiritual elevation of the scene. The dramatic interplay of light and shadow enhances the spiritual intensity, immersing the viewer in the sacred moment. This work seamlessly integrates the physical depiction of biblical lore with the emotional and spiritual experience it intends to evoke, making “The Ascension Of Christ” a profound piece of religious art in the Baroque tradition. © 2025 Artchive
More about Canon Graham’s dog Trixi.
In those days the local butcher shop was owned by John McQuoid and his assistant Charlie who used to deliver the customers’ orders by bicycle which had a large basket attached to the front wheel. One day when the basket was full of orders waiting for Charlie to set off on his journey, Trixi saw his opportunity, jumped up and removed a large brown papered parcel of a leg of lamb, which he tore open and ran away up the Fairy Glen with the leg in his mouth heading for the Vicarage! Needless to say no one was interested in the meat after that! Joan Toase
Andrea Blain
During a recent visit to Amsterdam a few churches were on the list for a visit. Disappointed to find that the Nieuwe Kerk on Dam Square is given over to exhibitions with a hefty entrance fee, a visit to the Oude Kerk was next on the list. I had not fully read the guidebook about this either and whilst there was an entrance charge, I was very surprised and indeed disappointed to find that this amazing church building appeared to have no active church community. However, a look online proved me wrong. The church is used on a weekly basis with two Sunday Services and the community meeting in Oude Kerk, the oldest church building in Amsterdam describes itself thus:
But back to the church. The Oude Kerk began as a wooden chapel in 1250 and grew over the centuries into the great stone building it is today. There is an amazing painted wooden ceiling depicting saints and the coats of arms of various guilds and families, because Amsterdam was a wealthy city and people wanted to make their mark. The historic organ, built originally in 1724, played a significant role in the history of European organ music.
“We are an open and active church, in the middle of the red light district. Our community has long been open to people of all shapes and sizes, scents and colours and is part of the Protestant Church Amsterdam.”
The church is situated in a very busy tourist area of Amsterdam and according to a tour guide, the Red-Light district grew up in its surrounds when sailors would seek absolution following encounters with the women in the area. Women still stand in windows in this area in an industry which is regulated in the city (though undoubtedly there will be women working in unregulated situations too).
The church was originally Roman Catholic but in 1578 became a Protestant Church. Various changes were made and the Altar ceased to be the focal point of the church with the pulpit becoming prominent. As a result, many pews were placed in the nave around the pulpit. It is evident that the box pews were for prominent people in the city who gathered for worship. Nowadays anyone can use them.
Beyond the choir screen are the misericords and the carvings on these depict a variety of scenes, some of which are humorous and even a little bit rude.
One of the amazing facts about this church is that more than 60,000 people are buried under more than 2,000 tombstones. One of these tombstones simply says “Saskia” and this is the memorial to Saskia van Uylenburgh, the wife of the painter Rembrandt. She died aged 29 possibly of tuberculosis leaving him with an infant child to rear and a complicated inheritance to manage. The room with its beautiful hand painted wallpaper where they signed their marriage papers can be visited in the church.
During my visit, scaffolding was in place as iconic stained glass windows were being reinstalled and it was possible to climb up to see the windows at eye level. However, I only made it to the first platform as the scaffold was wobbling and I felt uncomfortable about going higher, but I did get a close up to two of the windows.
It was a wonderful church to visit but I was sorry not to see some evidence of the current worshipping community which would have enhanced the experience particularly in the days following Easter.
Rev Katherine Poulton
Rembrandt marriage certificate
Hospital
Pope Francis always surprised with his reflections:
The walls of hospitals have heard more honest prayers than churches ...
They have witnessed far more sincere kisses than those in airports ...
It is in hospitals that you see a homophobe being saved by a gay doctor.
A privileged doctor saving the life of a beggar ... In intensive care, you see a Jew taking care of a racist ...
A police officer and a prisoner in the same room receiving the same care ...
A wealthy patient waiting for a liver transplant, ready to receive the organ from a poor donor …
It is in these moments, when the hospital touches the wounds of people, that different worlds intersect according to a divine design. And in this communion of destinies, we realize that alone, we are nothing. The absolute truth of people, most of the time, only reveals itself in moments of pain or in the real threat of an irreversible loss.
A hospital is a place where human beings remove their masks and show themselves as they truly are, in their purest essence.
This life will pass quickly, so do not waste it fighting with people.
Do not criticize your body too much.
Do not complain excessively.
Do not lose sleep over bills. Make sure to hug your loved ones.
Do not worry too much about keeping the house spotless.
Material goods must be earned by each person do not dedicate yourself to accumulating an inheritance.
You are waiting for too much: Christmas, Friday, next year, when you have money, when love arrives, when everything is perfect ...
Listen, perfection does not exist.
A human being cannot attain it because we are simply not made to be fulfilled here. Here, we are given an opportunity to learn.
So, make the most of this trial of life and do it now.
Respect yourself, respect others. Walk your own path, and let go of the path others have chosen for you. Respect: do not comment, do not judge, do not interfere.
Love more, forgive more, embrace more, live more intensely!
And leave the rest in the hands of the Creator.
Pope Francis
Found by Jono Pierce and published on Facebook
Speak kindness. Speak hope.
A group of frogs was travelling through the woods when two of them fell into a deep pit.
When the other frogs saw how deep it was, they told the two trapped frogs that there was no hope they were as good as dead.
Ignoring the discouraging words, the two frogs began jumping with all their might, trying to escape the pit. But the group above kept shouting, telling them to stop trying, to accept their fate.
Eventually, one of the frogs gave in to the negative voices. He stopped jumping, fell back, and died.
The other frog, however, continued to jump as hard as he could. The crowd kept yelling at him to stop, insisting it was pointless. But he jumped even harder until, to everyone's surprise, he finally made it out of the pit.
When he emerged, the other frogs asked, “Didn’t you hear us?”
The frog indicated that he was deaf. He thought they had been encouraging him the whole time.
Moral:
There is power in the tongue! A single encouraging word can lift someone up when they’re struggling. Be mindful of what you say. Speak kindness. Speak hope.
The telephone rang in the church office of the church that the MP attended when visiting his constituency. An eager voice inquired: “Do you expect the MP to be in church on Sunday? If so, I was thinking of coming along.”
“That,” said the cleric, “I cannot promise. But we do expect that God will be there, and we fancy that that should be incentive enough for a reasonably large attendance.”
Carpark: the place where you take your car to have little dents put into the sides. - Anon
Optimist: a cheerful person who is blissfully unaware of what is going on. - Anon
Rich man: a man who isn’t afraid to ask the assistant to show him something cheaper. - Anon
Taxpayer: a person who has the whole government on his payroll. – Anon
You know how in some sports, they throw the ball into the crowd after winning? They don't allow that in bowling. I know that now.
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